Quote of the Week

The only truly dependable production technologies are those that are sustainable over the long term. By that very definition, they must avoid erosion, pollution, environmental degradation, and resource waste. Any rational food-production system will emphasize the well-being of the soil-air-water biosphere, the creatures which inhabit it, and the human beings who depend upon it.


- Eliot Coleman

Fact of the Week

Agriculture is America's number one export.

News Update

• Opening Festivity at Blue Diamond in Turlock ... Modesto Bee Staff Report; 06/18
• Judge: Fresno Must Pay $700,000 Over Proposed Friant Development ... Kurtis Alexander; 06/18
• Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Plan Slammed with Lawsuits ... Matt Weiser; 06/18
• Dole CEO Makes $1 Million Takeover Bid ... Los Angeles Times report; 06/12
• Committee Suggests 20% Water Rate Hike For Modesto Farmers ... John Holland; 06/12
• Turlock Irrigation District Set to Buy Water from Modesto ... John Holland; 06/11
• Senate Oks Half-Trillion-Dollar Farm Bill ... Associated Press report; 06/11
• Reclamation Selects Recipients for Groundwater Banking Funding ... Pamela Martineau; 06/11

Worth Reading

• Alter CEQA But Don't Weaken It ... LA Times Editorial Board; 05/21

VLA Special Report

Valley Land Alliance detailed report on the downsizing of our valuable Merced County farmland acreage

Current Water Levels

Daily Reservoir Storage Summary

Qualitative Study of Water Supply and Demand in Merced County

• Click here!

Take Our Quiz

Click here to take our VLA Quiz

Web Sites Worth Visiting

Eric Caine's "The Valley Citizen" Web Site explores the nature, environment, history and politics of the Central Valley of California

Eric Caine is a brilliant and talented writer. He has written many columns for the Modesto Bee and is an English Instructor at Merced Junior College. His insightful and common sense approach to our Valley problems is a welcome breath of fresh air for readers who care about sustaining a quality of life for residents in Merced County and the Central Valley of California.

Between Friends - Entre Amigos

Between Friends/Entre Amigos is dedicated to providing the families of Merced County with information pertinent to everyday life. Their goal is to promote ideas, family values and pride in the family through information while supporting the business community and local organizations.

California Farmlink Website

California FarmLink works to ensure the future of family farming in California. The future of agricultural production and the viability of productive, diversified, and sustainable farms is far too important to be left to a random process of "marry or inherit". California FarmLink provides a range of services to facilitate a transition from one farmer or landowner to the next generation of farmers.

Local Choices

Connecting our community to local small organic and natural farms and ranches in the Central Valley of California, providing information on local farm news, events, healthy lifestyles, the benefits of organics and the farmers who feed us!

John Holland's Blog: The Hive

Modesto Bee writer, John Holland, tracks farming news and stories in his informative blog.

American Farmland Trust: California - Paving Paradise

One out of every six acres developed in California since the Gold Rush was paved over between 1990 and 2004, concludes a new AFT report, Paving Paradise: A New Perspective on California Farmland Conversion. In all, more than a half million acres were urbanized during this period, almost two-thirds of it agricultural land. Among AFT's other findings: More than 60% of the land developed in the San Joaquin Valley, which accounts for half of California's agricultural production, was farmland of the very best quality. The attached report includes both a database and text that explains and analyzes the data.

Plumas Sierra Counties: Land Use Information

18 Different Fact Sheets (1 to 4 pages each) written in layperson terms to help us all better understand aspects of community land use planning.

Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association

The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) provides educational and business opportunities for farm workers and aspiring farmers to grow and sell crops grown on two organic farms in Monterey County, California.

The Story of Stuff.com

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns.

Worth Watching

Are we in danger of running out of water? California's population is growing by 600,000 people a year, but much of the state receives as much annual rainfall as Morocco. The pressures on California's water resources are only increasing. (Courtesy of KQED) ... Quest Video